An investigation over the effect of the reducing agent on the properties of the ZnO-reinforced Ni–P coatings

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - Electroless ZnO-reinforced Ni–P coatings are developed on mild steel substrates in the Electroless bath, which contains an optimum...     

Sonochemical assisted synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of Fe3+ doped ZnO diluted magnetic semiconductor

Fe³⁺ doped ZnO nanopowder has been synthesized by sonochemical assistance and characterized by different spectroscopic techniques. The structure, surface morphologies and optical properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence spectrometer (PL) and ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometer. XRD reveals that Fe³⁺ ions enter into ZnO lattices without any secondary phases. SEM micrographs of prepared sample show that surface is rough and stone like structure with different sizes. PL studies of Fe³⁺ doped ZnO nanopowder exhibits ultraviolet and blue emission bands. Magnetometric measurements (vibrating sample magnetometer) indicate ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature. This observation is further confirmed by the EPR spectrum of Fe³⁺ doped ZnO at room temperature.     

Novel in-situ synthesis of Au/SnO2 quantum dots for enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic applications

In recent years, visible-light-driven metal–semiconductor nanocomposites have emerged as a suitable material for the decomposition of various water and air pollutants. In this work, a novel plasmonic Au nanoparticle (NP)/SnO₂ quantum dot (SQD) nanocomposite photocatalysts were prepared via a one-step solvothermal technique. The as-prepared plasmonic photocatalysts were characterized by various techniques, and the results established the formation of Au/SQD nanocomposites. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared plasmonic Au/SQD nanocomposites was examined by the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) at room temperature under visible light, and the Au/SQD photocatalyst, prepared using 1.0?g of tin chloride, exhibited a higher rate constant of RhB degradation than pristine SQDs. This exceptional improvement in catalytic performance under visible light is ascribed to a shift of the band gap from the ultraviolet to the visible region. The surface plasmon resonance effect of Au NPs and the synergistic coupling of the metal and the semiconductor QDs also played a vital role in enhancing the catalytic performance. The process of the photocatalytic degradation of RhB by the Au/SQD nanocomposites under visible light is described.     

Influence of Heat Treatment on Crystal Structure,Microhardness and Corrosion Resistance of Bilayer Electroless Ni-P-SiC/Ni-P-Al2O3 Coatings

Silicon - Improvements in physical and mechanical properties of structures are essential for industrial applications. Electroless coatings are among the most suitable choices for this purpose. To...